Utopia, nothing will ever be the same

Nothing will ever be the same again. How many times have we heard that statement in the last few months? All because of a virus. Some say the pandemic will make us better, some say the opposite. What is certain is that if it is true that nothing will ever be the same, never like today have we been allowed to imagine a new, ideal, perhaps unattainable world, a world that does not exist, but can, at least in our desires, in our dreams. A utopia? Yes, a utopia!

Utopia is the theme of the sixteenth edition of Tapirulan illustrators contest, and those who participate become utopians by right. Close your eyes and think about your utopias, we are sure that you have not lost them, even if you are over thirty years old. Some people believe that utopias are a thing of the past, but we don’t, and you don’t either, right?

Imagine a place without borders, without hate and violence, without soldiers and weapons, where socks are fragrant, chocolate is not fattening and elephants are multi-coloured, like those of David McKee, the special guest and jury president this year.

Imagine and tell us about it, or rather draw it. We know that in a utopian world there would be no deadlines and regulations, but to allow you to participate we had to write two lines as a regulation and set a deadline for October 20, 2020. In a utopian world there aren’t even winners and losers, you will say. Instead the the jury will select only 48 illustrated utopias for the exhibition and the catalog, because “the utopia is like the horizon: you walk two steps, and it moves two steps away. You walk ten steps, and it moves away ten steps”.¹

Let’s try to reach the horizon!

Whoever comes closest will receive the First Prize of 2,500 euros. Not that money is worth much in an ideal world, in fact in addition to the prize money there will be a personal exhibition (to be held the following year) with its own catalogue and a one-way ticket to Neverland. Now imagine and participate!

Take part!